Allow Lankan Tamils to enter India by sea: BJP

The BJP’s state unit today demanded that the Union government allow Sri Lankan Tamils visiting Chidambaram for a temple festival on December 31 enter the country through sea.

BJP state president L Ganesan said the practice of pilgrims visiting Tamil Nadu for the 11-day ‘Tiruvadirai’ festival in Chidambaram from the northern parts of Sri Lanka through sea was in vogue till 1992.

"Now they have to take the air route by flying from Colombo, which is expensive. There are many difficulties for Tamils living in northern parts of Sri Lanka to travel to Colombo.The Government of India must therefore allow them to take the sea route to reach Tamil Nadu," he said in a statement here.